<p>I've been really thinking about majoring in CS, but there are a lot of things that are pulling me away from it. Things like the increasingly high risk of outsourcing; having to constantly "keep up" with the younger people because CS is always changing; being nothing but a "code monkey" for the first few years, etc. To what extent are these sayings true? Really interested to hear what you guys think.</p>
<p>i was thinking about this too and in fact this was my first choice major, but then i changed my mind and decided that i'll do electrical engineering with a bit of computer science on the side.</p>
<p>But i think it is true, that cs will always change. Therefore, you will always need to be learning the new languages as they come about. Also, i think if you go the CS route, that'll you be a "code monkey" for the first few years, but i think it'll get better after a bit.</p>
<p>Ugh...I can't imagine years down the line after graduating and settling in with a software engineering job that I'll spend my nights at home keeping up with the new languages just so that I can keep my job.</p>
<p>sadly that's what it looks like to me.</p>
<p>however, my teacher once said that "programming will all remain the same, it's just the language that will change"</p>
<p>Still scary stuff :(</p>
<p>Hopefully someone can shed some more light on this?</p>
<p>yeah but hey, what do i know? i'm only 16 and just speculating!</p>
<p>You have to keep current with new technology no matter what profession you go into. I also think your time spent/status as a "code monkey" really depends on what position you're hired into and how well you perform on the job.</p>
<p>First, I don't think there is much difference in the thought process between programmers 20 years ago and today. Recursion is still recursion and a stack is still a stack.</p>
<p>2) It takes all of 1-2 weeks to learn the basics of a new language. At the rate at which new languages are actually accepted as mainstream, you probably won't be doing that too often.</p>
<p>3) When you're tired of programming, become a consultant (database/new systems). The money available (and power if its databases) is superb.</p>
<p>4) Software engineering, CS and programming are not the same. These are all different things.</p>
<p>But, you bring up valid points (and my wisdom is suspect). So the onus is on you to find out more information and make an educated decision because "it's you life".</p>
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I've been really thinking about majoring in CS, but there are a lot of things that are pulling me away from it. Things like the increasingly high risk of outsourcing;
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<p>See my other posts on this subject. Capsule summary: yes, you could lose your job to outsourcing; plan ahead by staying out of debt, having money to live off of, and making sure people in your field know your worth.</p>
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having to constantly "keep up" with the younger people because CS is always changing;
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<p>This is another one of those "experiences differ greatly depending upon where you work." Here are some articles giving differing points of view:</p>
<p>Half</a> Sigma: Why a career in computer programming sucks
Why</a> a Career in Computer Programming Doesn't Suck (A Response) | Former Slacker
[url=<a href="http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/LordPalmerston.html%5DLord">http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/LordPalmerston.html]Lord</a> Palmerston on Programming - Joel on Software<a href="about%20why%20it's%20sometimes%20necessary%20to%20be%20able%20to%20answer%20detailed%20questions%20about%20APIs%20on%20interviews">/url</a></p>
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being nothing but a "code monkey" for the first few years, etc.
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<p>Also depends on where you work. Even (some) Google engineers spend lots of time coding. They release a lot of projects on very short timelines, so you can imagine there is considerable pressure to get a lot of code written in a very short time. The upside is that (ideally) you get to spend 20% of your time on your own pet project, which hopefully becomes a sponsored project that you get to spend all of your time on.</p>
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To what extent are these sayings true? Really interested to hear what you guys think.
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<p>Spend some time reading blogs of people who work at the companies you're interested in. Ask lots of questions.</p>
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You have to keep current with new technology no matter what profession you go into.
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<p>Strongly seconding. You can't escape this. Photographers had to go digital, composers had to learn MIDI, doctors had to get over their hangups about injecting people with radioactive isotopes.</p>